Bengalureans get a trash course in garbage management: Farmers get new besties

Residents of Sobha Althea-Azalea recently sold a tractor-load of compost for Rs 1.5 per kilo.

By Y Maheswara Reddy

Residents of Yelahanka apartment complex compost waste, sell it to Harohalli organic farmer. It’s a win-win situation for all, and the environment too

Composting, many believe, can literally save the world. And Bengaluru too. Sifting of trash at source, composting wet waste and then reaping the benefits of selling the black gold (compost) is a utopia that’s presented to us by composting evangelists.

Turns out, this is not all trash talk. To make sure that people don’t stop at composting and excess compost produced is used effectively, the Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT) has launched SwachGraha Compost Connect campaign. This campaign connects compost producers, mostly large residential apartment complexes, with farmers, who can use this in their farms. Recently, a tractor load of compost produced from kitchen waste from Sobha Althea-Azalea in Yelahanka was picked up by a farmer of Harohalli. The compost was sold to the farmer at Rs 1.50 per kg.

Around 20 apartment complexes and 15 farmers want to replicate the model. Could this be the end to Bengaluru’s mounting garbage woes?

“We wanted to give the compost to the farmer free of cost but we collected a nominal price since we wanted the farmer to respect our hard work in converting the kitchen waste into compost. Once farmers come to know the value of compost, they will be ready to pay for it,’’ says SwachGraha Compost Connect lead campaigner Savita Hiremath.

The compost supplied to the farmer is set to be used at his farm near Harohalli on a trial basis. “I am very happy to get the compost from Sobha Althea-Azalea apartment. I have already told my fellow farmers about it but they are skeptical to use it at their farms. I will use it first and I hope the other will follow,” says Ranganath H B, a farmer from Harohalli who wants to grow organic vegetables on his farm.

Not a waste of time:

It all began when Savita Hiremath contacted Vasu of Sustainable Organic Initiatives for Livelihood (SOIL) to connect her with a few progressive farmers in and around Bengaluru to discuss the idea of using excess compost produced by citizens. “Vasu has played a key role in bringing a few farmers to our meeting where we discussed the possibility of finding uses for excess compost,’’ says Savita Hiremath.

....

Vasu says he tested the quality of compost before selling it to the farmers. “I have tested it for quality. It is better than the compost available at various agencies. It is nutrient-rich,’’ explains Vasu.

The campaign is an initiative by SWMRT to connect urban compost producers with rural farmers located on the outskirts of the city. In two weeks since its launch, around 15 farmers have evinced interest in buying compost from apartments, whereas more than 20 apartments have come forward to sell their excess compost, says Savita.

“We are planning to contact village panchayats around Bengaluru to popularize the usage of kitchen waste compost as organic manure. One of the farmers who attended the meeting made a proposal to supply organic vegetables to the apartments that supply kitchen waste compost to the farmers. I think it is a good idea. We are open to it,’’ says Savita Hiremath.

Expressing happiness over the success of the initiative, Sobha Althea-Azalea apartment management secretary Ravi Swaminathan says that this can be replicated in apartment complexes. “The residents have responded positively to our efforts to compost kitchen waste in the building. Initially, they were apprehensive. We had to convince them that the process of composting would not attract flies or mosquitoes. After two months, they were convinced. I want more and more residential apartments to follow this method which ensures that 95 percent of the wet waste generated will be composted,” says Ravi Swaminathan.

With this, the community’s own solid waste management campaign has come full circle. Waste management began in this 202-home building in October 2012 when a BBMP legislation made it mandatory for bulk generators to process their wet waste in situ. After enormous efforts, trial and error, the community members succeeded in their mission of converting kitchen waste into compost.

Recent Messages ()

Please rate before posting your Review

OR PROCEED WITHOUT REGISTRATION

Share on Twitter

SIGN IN WITH

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive. Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.